Pokemon 2006 Finale: Return of the Chosen One
by ZachaRicO
Summary: Who is Mephiles? What is his ultimate goal? Can our heroes stop him? Or will he succeed where every villain to date has failed? At the end of the day, there is only one who can stop him: the Chosen One. Sonic 06 Pokemon Crossover. Advanceshipping
1. Chapter 1

**All right...it's finally time for the epic finale to Pokemon: 2006! Before I start, however, I should remind you that you need to read "Sonic and the Silver Wing," "Silver and the Chosen One," and "Shadow and the Master of Distortion" before reading this, as this is the conclusion to the story that those three cover. Don't worry, this will be right here when you get back (unless something stupid happens, which it better not).**

**I'm tired of waiting; LET'S GO!**

* * *

Chapter 1: Prelude to the End

The storms surrounding Mt. Silver had raged on at a steady pace for five years. In that time, there had been no records of a change in severity, for better or worse.

Until now.

Now the storms picked up their pace; even if it was only slightly, it was still noticeable, assuming there was someone to notice it, but there wasn't. The only person witnessing this storm was the one causing it: standing on the peak of the mountain, a snarl etched onto his face as he clenched his fists at his sides. His dark cape billowed in the wind as it ruffled through his hair.

"Silver learned the truth," Mephiles muttered, "and Shadow turned down my offer at vengeance. There is only one who has yet to make his choice. If he should turn me down, then I will have no choice but to finish them all off." His expression softened as he looked down somberly. "If only I could've been there," he sighed. "If only I could've given him what he deserved. Perhaps he wouldn't be so simple-minded." His face hardened slightly as he steeled himself. "It doesn't matter now. I will make them all pay. Yes...they will be sorry that day ever came!"

* * *

Ash looked to Mt. Silver early the next morning, a conflicted aura in his eyes. His mind had questions broiling inside, and more than anything he wanted to find the answers to these questions. But at the same time, he didn't want to abandon his anniversary celebration with May, especially now that they had some rest from Eggman's schemes.

_Rest?_ The word ran through his mind like a heckler. _Who said anything about rest? As long as these questions are bashing my brains around, I can't get any rest!_ He looked back at his sleeping girlfriend. She was smiling in her sleep, curled up in her bed as she dreamed a sweet dream. _But I can't just drag her into another dangerous adventure either. Ugh! What am I supposed to do?!_

He went down to the ground level, Pikachu on his shoulder, as he pondered what he should do. "I don't know, Pikachu," he sighed in anguish. "I've got to find answers, but I don't want to drag May into another adventure."

"_Pika_," Pikachu looked at him, a somber look on his face. They spent the next hour pacing restlessly around the place, trying desperately to find an answer to this dilemma.

Finally, Ash made up his mind. "I don't like what I'm about to do," he sighed sadly, "but I hope May can forgive me when I get back." With that, he pulled out a notepad and started writing.

* * *

"Mmm," May mumbled as her eyes slowly opened. She yawned and stood up to get ready for the day when she noticed Ash's bed was empty.

"Oh!" she wondered, but then she shrugged. "He's probably training." With that, she continued on and, after she got herself dressed, walked down to the ground level. She didn't find Ash in the kitchen, or at the arena. She looked everywhere, but to her dismay, Ash was nowhere to be found.

"Where the heck is he?!" she put her hands on her hips, visibly angered. Then she found a note in the kitchen. Eyes wide, she quickly picked up and read it to herself:

_Hey, May._

_If you're reading this, then you're probably wondering where I am right now. Well, I'm sorry, but I had to go. I've had some questions running through my mind as of recent, and I felt compelled to find answers. I didn't want to bring you along, since we just got back from another adventure, but I didn't want to leave you hanging, either. I left all my Pokemon with you, with the exception of Pikachu and Charizard. Please don't follow me. I don't want you getting hurt, and I'm going somewhere dangerous._

_I love you._

_Ash_

May let the note fall to the ground, a deadpan expression on her face. "Are...you...kidding me?!" he said loudly.

* * *

Ash landed in Silver Town, pulling his warm winter coat over him and Pikachu. Charizard shivered, chilled by the storms.

"Thanks for your help, Charizard," Ash nodded to his Pokemon. "You can go back to May, now. No use putting yourself in danger over here. It's only gonna get worse." Charizard nodded and took off into the sky, heading back for the Indigo Plateau. Ash looked at Pikachu, slightly uncertain. "You ready for this, buddy?"

"_Pika!_" Pikachu nodded.

Ash smiled and rubbed him behind the ears as he looked up. "I'm glad you are...because to tell you the truth...for once in my life, I don't think I am."

* * *

Sonic and Misty sat on the outskirts of Rota, admiring the sky as the clouds drifted by. They didn't make any particular shapes, but they were wispy, creating a cheery atmosphere.

"Sure is nice out here," Sonic smiled, blinking the sunlight out of his eyes.

"I wish it could be like this everyday," Misty agreed.

"Yeah, me too."

They lay there a moment more, simply sitting there and watching the clouds. Then something caught Sonic's eye.

"What's that?"

"Hm?"

"Over there."

Misty looked at where he was pointing and saw a dark swirling mass that stood out in the midst of the happy atmosphere.

"Isn't that Mt. Silver?" Misty wondered.

"Mt. Silver," Sonic mused. "Something doesn't seem right over there."

"We should probably check it out."

* * *

"So what do we do now?" Silver muttered.

"What do you mean?" Dawn asked.

"It's just...odd. I've spent my whole life fighting for a future like this. Now that we have it, what am I supposed to do with the rest of my life? I feel like my purpose is fulfilled, but now what?"

Dawn merely smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "I guess that's the great part. You just get to find another dream."

Silver sighed and smiled uncertainly. _But what?_ he wondered. As they looked on, they failed to notice a sinister substance slowly creeping up on them.

* * *

The dust finally settled, and all was visible again. Shadow knelt, panting as his energy was exhausted. Mephiles was nowhere to be seen.

"Where'd he go?" Jessie wondered.

"Must've run off," Meowth muttered.

"Does that mean we won?" James asked.

"I wouldn't count on it," Shadow shook his head, slowly standing up and replacing his inhibitor rings. "If what he said was true, then he's probably still out there. And I would've felt it if he were gone for good."

"Then where do you think he is?" James wondered.

Shadow clenched his fist. "Mt. Silver."

* * *

Ash placed one hand on Mt. Silver's slope and began his perilous ascent to the summit, all the while wondering about this mysterious being called Mephiles. He lied to Silver to try to get him to kill Sonic, tried to destroy Shadow, and attempted to prevent Sonic from stopping Eggman. Yet he couldn't shake the feeling that came whenever Mephiles spoke his name. He didn't understand what it meant...but he knew he wouldn't have peace until he found the answer.

He slowly climbed the slope, the violent winds assaulting the trainer and his Pikachu from every angle, unrelenting and unforgiving. The pain bit at his exposed skin, but he knew now that there was no turning back. He had to finish this.

As he climbed, a thought struck him: did Mephiles have some connection with the aura? He was able to communicate with him telepathically, after all. Could he have done that through aura? Isn't that how Lucario did it all those years ago?

Ash suddenly slipped, grappling to regain a foothold. He fell a good, several feet before he managed to steady himself. He squeezed his eyes shut, clenching his teeth. _I can't do this_ he thought. _I can't do this!_

"_Pika Pi!_" Pikachu poked his head out of the coat and patted Ash. He looked at him, and his reassuring gaze restored his spirit.

"Thanks, buddy," he smiled. With that, he resumed his ascent.

Another slip, another smack in the face from the hissing wind. Ash dug his fingernails into the rocky slope, desperate to hold on. Everything inside him told him to stay put and just freeze up, but with sheer force of will, he threw an arm up to the next ledge, grasping it.

Was Mephiles watching him?

_I won't give up_ he thought, defiantly.

"I will find the truth!" he shouted to the wind.

Mephiles...who was he?

Each step was more difficult than the last, each moment more tense than the last. The summit was near. He could feel it.

Another slip. Ash grappled once again to gain his footing, which he did, but his fall was yet more significant than the last. A quick internal debate ensued, but he silenced it. He was going to the top, even if it killed him.

At long last, he stood on his two feet, looking up through the blazing storm. A lone figure stood there, cloaked in darkness and obscured by everything.

"You came...just as I foresaw," it said.

Ash clenched his fists. Only one word was on his mind now; May, Misty, Sonic, Pikachu...none of them mattered at the moment. There was only one name he saw in his mind:

"_Mephiles._"

* * *

**If the ascent of Mt. Silver seems choppy, it's because I originally set it to the lyrics of "His World: Blue World Prelude" by Bentley Jones. However, I decided not to tempt fate and removed the lyrics because the admins may not like it. *Groan***


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: A Deal with Death

"Is it just me, or is that storm more violent than it was when we saw it last?" Sonic scratched his head.

"Hard to tell," Misty agreed. "It was some distance away when we saw it. Either it picked up the pace or it's just closer."

"Misty?"

Misty perked at the familiar voice. "May?"

The distraught, bandanna-clad brunette rushed up to her friend anxiously. "I'm glad to see you here. Do you know where Ash is?"

Misty blinked. "He's not here? I thought he was with you."

"He left this morning," she explained, holding the note to her. Misty read it and looked up, even more confused.

"That's not like Ash. Why would he do that?"

"That's what I want to find out," May muttered. "But where is he?"

Sonic looked to Mt. Silver, a distant look in his eyes. "If he said he was going somewhere dangerous," he mused, "and he didn't take May along…"

Misty and May looked up at this, worry in their eyes. "You don't think…" May whispered.

"Come on," Misty stepped forward. "We've got to find him."

* * *

"Silver!"

Silver looked up sharply, eyes widening. "What?!" A mysterious, sinister substance gripped Dawn's leg and slowly crawled up. "No! Get back!" He unleashed a telekinetic blast, but it proved fruitless.

"Ungh!" Dawn yelped in pain. "Silver, help!"

"Hang on!" he exclaimed, trying to stop the substance. Before he knew it, it had consumed Dawn's legs and was now crawling up her torso. Silver pulled her arms, but the substance slammed him away. He leapt back up...only to find himself alone.

"Dawn!" Silver cried, looking wildly around. "Dawn?! Oh, please no...DAWN!"

* * *

"I assume you've taken up my offer," the sinister figure smirked. "I was hoping you would."

"If by your 'offer,' you mean your invitation to come here, yes, I did," Ash retorted. "But besides that, no, I'm not accepting any offers."

"That's what I thought you'd say," Mephiles chuckled. "In fact, I'm not surprised in the slightest. Reminds me of a younger, less sinister me."

"Why did you bring me here?" Ash clenched his fists. Pikachu shivered slightly.

"Why did you come?" Mephiles smirked cryptically.

Ash looked at Pikachu uncertainly, as though to ask what Mephiles meant. He then turned back and tightened his fists. "Who are you?" he said in a low voice. "And how do you know who I am?"

Mephiles chuckled darkly. "I've known you for a long time, Ash. Ever since you began your journey, I've watched you, eager to see just what you'd become. Needless to say, I have not been disappointed. I knew one day your path would bring you here."

"How?"

"Destiny," Mephiles grinned. "You wish to be the greatest Pokemon Master there is, don't you?"

Ash's eyes widened. "How did you know that?"

"It's every trainer's dream."

Ash thought this over and nodded. "Yes, it is...at least when they're young and just starting out."

Mephiles looked puzzled. "What?"

"Of course I want to be the very best like no one ever was," Ash continued. "I've always wanted that. But as I got older and more skilled as a trainer, I realized that there are some things in life that are more important than being the best. You need to care for your Pokemon, your friends, the people who care about you."

"Hmph," Mephiles scoffed. "Tell me something I don't know."

"How's this?" Ash smirked slightly. "The most important thing in life is love."

"_Pikachu!_" Pikachu agreed.

Now it was Mephiles' turn to clench his fists. "What did you say?" he growled.

"Love is the most important thing," Ash repeated. "Without it, nothing else has meaning. My love for Pikachu is what keeps us together after all these years, and that's just one example."

"_Pika!_"

"Your love for Pikachu?" Mephiles raised an eyebrow.

"You know what I mean," Ash deadpanned. "This is not Sonic Next-Gen."

"Agreed."

"Anyways, yes. My love for Pikachu is important, but so is my love for my friends: for Misty, for Brock, for Sonic, for my Mom...and, of course, for May."

"Stupid brat," Mephiles snarled to himself so Ash couldn't hear. He was growing agitated.

"And then there's the love I have for my -"

"ENOUGH!" Mephiles suddenly shouted, startling Ash and Pikachu. "I understand: you love everyone you know, and so it prevents you from being the greatest Pokemon Master." His devilish smirk returned as he continued to speak. "That's why I brought you here: to offer you a deal."

Ash and Pikachu tensed up. _I don't like where this is going._ "What's the deal?"

"You leave them all behind, and I, in turn, will make you into the world's greatest Pokemon Master."

Ash's eyes went wide with shock. "W-What?! You can't be serious!"

"I know it's a lot to take in," Mephiles nodded seriously. "But I am serious. Believe me, Ash, I only want the best for you."

Ash couldn't believe what he was hearing. His shock rapidly gave way to rage as he processed all this. "You actually think that after all the trouble you caused for everyone I would be crazy enough to believe you and stay here?!" he screamed. "You hired someone to kill one of my best friends, you talk about destroying the world, and you nearly get me killed in Eggman's wreckage...and you _dare_ to offer me a deal like that?!"

Mephiles tensed up even more. "Everything I did, I did to protect you," he growled menacingly. "When you have completed your training with me, you will understand."

"I'm not coming with you!" Ash shouted. "I refuse your offer!"

"Don't be so hasty," Mephiles came closer, remaining strangely calm. "Think about what I'm offering you: the chance to fulfill the dream you always wanted. Isn't that what you want? To be the greatest master the world has ever known? Don't lie to me, Ash: deep down, I know you still want it. You crave power; you long for people to revere you as though they revered Arceus himself."

Ash wanted to shout back at him, but his mouth came up silent. Something about Mephiles' words resonated through him. It felt absolutely uncomfortable, yet there was something appealing about it. His fists twitched as he struggled.

"Trust me, Ash," Mephiles whispered. "_We are more alike than you think._"

At that, Ash snapped back to reality. "No!" he recoiled away from the sinister man. "I'm nothing like you! You're a monster!"

"Nothing like me, you say?" he sneered, chuckling malevolently. "Tell me, Ash...where is this May of yours?"

Ash was confused. "Wha-why do you care? I just left her behind. I didn't want her to get involved in this."

"Then you abandoned her because you sought power," Mephiles' grin grew.

"I left her behind because I didn't want her to get hurt!" he retorted.

"How ironic," Mephiles sneered. "Another man said the same thing once; he said it was for the best for his wife and child. In the end, he was betrayed and shunned by all he once called friend." Ash looked at him, frightened by his words, though he didn't know why. "Tell me, Ash...do you know who that man was?"

"That man was a coward," Ash snapped back. "He probably had some ulterior motive. I'm nothing like that!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes!"

Mephiles shook his head. "You're quite wrong, Ash. Indeed, you are very, _very_ wrong on that count. You see, that man who did that wasn't just a hypothetical example I conjured up to ensnare you. No, that man was real."

"And who is he?" Ash snapped.

Mephiles' grin grew. "You know who he is, and I'm very right. You _are_ just like him."

"Why do you say that?!"

Mephiles didn't say anything for a moment. He just stood there, grinning a sinister grin as he took a deep breath, savoring the moment that would crush this boy's world forever. His grin kept growing until he finally couldn't wait any longer. With no hesitation or compassion, he spoke the most shocking words ever to cross Ash's ears:

"_That man was your father._"

* * *

"This could take a while," Sonic muttered as he stared up the slope of Mt. Silver. "Is there any faster way up?"

"No," May shook her head. "Not that I know of. We've got to hurry!"

"She's right," Misty nodded. "Let's move before it's too late!"

* * *

"You sure Mephiles is still alive?" James asked Shadow as they looked on Mt. Silver.

"If I finished him off, I would have sensed it instantly," the black hedgehog replied. "I know he's still alive. I don't know where, but Mt. Silver is my first guess."

Jessie looked to the peak of the sinister mountain, uncertainty lining her face. "I wonder what he's doing up there…"

* * *

Silence. Deathly silence as Mephiles' words echoed in the air. Ash's eyes were wide and unmoving, his jaw dropped. He was spellbound, absolute shock freezing his body over.

"Wha -" Ash stammered. "How - I don't - you -"

"Oh, you silly boy," Mephiles cooed mockingly. "Did you really think Delia told you the truth: that your father was a Pokemon trainer still on his journey?" He chuckled sinisterly. "To an extent, she was right. He was on a journey. In fact, he's been on a journey for a long time."

"H-How do you know this?" Ash barely managed to stammer.

"Because he killed him!"

The two men turned on hearing the sudden voice. A darkened figure strode forward, obscured until the light revealed it to be a black hedgehog.

"Shadow?!" Mephiles snarled. "How did you know to find me here?!"

"Lucky guess," Shadow smirked. "I don't know what you're offering Ash, but I know he won't take it."

"He already said that," Mephiles nodded. "But he's not like you. Unlike you, I know I can win him over. You were merely my guinea pig. I need you no longer, Shadow." With that, a dark material erupted from the ground and tried to consume Shadow's being.

"Ungh! What?!" he grunted, fighting against the pull. "What is this?!"

"More than you can handle, _Shadow the Hedgehog_," Mephiles snarled. "Hahahahaha!"

"Let him go!" Ash shouted. Pikachu unleashed a Thunderbolt at the substance, but it did nothing.

"I have a better idea," Mephiles sneered, snapping his fingers.

"_PIKAAAAA!_"

Ash started. The substance had snatched Pikachu! "No! Pikachu!" he cried, pulling at his best friend in desperation.

"There is no escape for Pikachu," Mephiles laughed malevolently, "or for Shadow. You're both -"

He never finished, as a blue blur slammed him down, wrecking his focus and setting Shadow and Pikachu free.

"Nice try, Darkie," Sonic smirked.

"Nice one, Sonic," Ash nodded.

"You insolent pests," Mephiles growled, energy blazing on his fists. "I'll shred you to pieces!"

"No, wait!" Ash suddenly stepped forward to defend his friends.

"Ah, are we reconsidering, now?"

"No," Ash shook his head, then he turned to his friends. "You guys need to go."

"Nuh-uh," Sonic shook his head. "No way Baseball Head's gonna get himself killed today."

"I'm not asking," Ash clenched his fists. "This is something I gotta do on my own. I don't want you getting hurt."

"Oh, give me a break," Shadow rolled his eyes. "I can take him down with my eyes shut."

"Did you seriously just bring that up again?!" Mephiles grumbled.

"What are you talking about?" the black hedgehog taunted. "It's never been brought up before in _history_."

"Don't test me, Shadow," Mephiles growled. "My power is greater than you know."

"Uh-huh, sure," Sonic rolled his eyes. "All talk, no play. Typical."

"You little fool!" Mephiles growled. "You think it's all talk? Believe me, blue hedgehog, I have seen worlds that you have not seen, witnessed power beyond anything you fools can comprehend. You think my boasting is nothing but for show?" He sneered darkly. "Perhaps you would like to be the first to taste my true power, hm?"

"Psh. Bring it," Sonic rolled his eyes. "I'll beat you down like a -"

What happened next shocked everyone there, as Mephiles, even before Sonic could taunt him, unleashed a furious beam of dark energy from his hand. The beam slammed right into Sonic and impaled him. Sonic's eyes went wide, his mouth agape, all his muscles rigid as blocks.

"Sonic!" Ash cried in horror. Shadow was silent.

The beam dissipated, and Sonic stood there a moment, expression and posture unchanged. His hand subconsciously held his stomach as his knees buckled under his weight and he dropped onto them. He stayed there a moment, slowly tilting, and then his eyes and mouth slowly closed as he fell flat on his face, unmoving.

Ash broke out of his stupor and rushed over to him, desperately shaking him. "Sonic!" he cried. "SONIC!"

As he desperately tried to revive his friend, Mephiles just stood there, a grin growing on his face as a dark, sinister substance began to swirl around them. "Heheheheh...heheheheheheh...hehehehahahahahaha...AHHHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAA!"

Ash continued to shake Sonic, oblivious to what was happening. With a grunt and a push, he flipped Sonic over onto his back, his arm coming with him. Ash held it a moment, and then let it go.

It fell limp to the ground, completely unmoving.

"No," Shadow breathed in horror. "It can't be."

"Sonic?" Ash whispered, his voice cracking. He squeezed his eyes shut as tears budded on them. He clenched his teeth and tried so hard not to cry, but at the end he couldn't stop himself as the reality of what just happened hit him:

Sonic the Hedgehog was dead.

* * *

"_What are you waiting for, Baseball Head?" the hedgehog smirked. "What's your name?"_

"_Baseball Head?" he repeated._

"_Your hat."_

_He looked up and shrugged. "Deal with it. Anyways, my name's Ash."_

_The blue hedgehog smiled. "Nice to meet you, Ash. My name is Sonic: Sonic the Hedgehog!"_

"_Nice to meet you, too!" Ash returned the smile._

* * *

"_A perfect day for swimming!" Max grinned._

"_Count me out!" Sonic shuddered, staying as far away from the water as possible. "Water and I go together like water and oil!"_

_Ash looked at him skeptically. "Does that mean you're oily?"_

"_It means he doesn't like water," Knuckles grinned, punching his friend playfully in the arm._

"_Yes, I can tell," Ash chuckled. "I guess I'll be calling you 'Oily' from now on, huh?"_

"_Zip it, Baseball Head," Sonic retorted jokingly._

_Ash turned to go away...then pushed Sonic overboard._

"_GAHHHHHHH!" Sonic screamed in terror, leaping back up and jumping into Amy's arms, petrified. Ash was laughing his head off. "Not funny, Ash!" he snapped._

"_Don't worry," he chuckled. "I won't do it again. Besides, we'll all be laughing about it when this is all over!"_

* * *

"_We did it, Ash," Sonic whispered. "Thank you...for everything." With that he started out, his friends slowly following. That was when they heard a sudden beeping coming from the walkie-talkie. Perking slightly, they rushed back over to it, curious._

"_Awesome job, guys!" came a familiarly gravelly voice that even the static couldn't prevent them from recognizing._

"_ASH!" Tails cried._

* * *

"_No!" Sonic cried. "He can't get away with this!"_

"_Leave him to me," Shadow growled. "You should get out of here. This is about to get ugly."_

_Sonic looked at Ash. "What about him?"_

_Shadow looked somber as he shook his head. "If what the Distortion Master said is true, then it's no use. He's going to die."_

"_No," Sonic shook his head, tears forming in his eyes. "There's gotta be a way to save him."_

"_If I knew of one, I would help him, but I can't."_

"_No!" Sonic shouted at Shadow. "I'm not leaving him here!"_

"_Sonic!"_

_They turned and looked at the fallen hero as he held his abdomen, even now his signature smile not fading. "It's okay," he rasped. "It's like I said: you need to take care of Pikachu for me. Please."_

_Sonic looked at him, tears falling down his face. "Ash…"_

"_There's no time, Sonic," Ash whispered. "You've got to go."_

_Sonic looked at him a moment more, then wiped the tears from his face. "Okay."_

* * *

"_Thanks for everything, Ash. I'm sure we'll meet again soon."_

"_I'll look forward to it," Ash grinned, holding out his hand. Sonic mirrored the grin and clasped it, holding it firmly a moment before they let go._

"_Don't sweat it, Baseball Head," he grinned._

"_Take care, Oily," Ash replied._

* * *

"No," Ash barely whispered as a drop of water hit his arm. "No!" he whispered again as another one hit his other arm. "Please, no…" he whispered as yet another drop fell on his arm. For a moment, he was silent, but it was a brief moment. Grief cannot be brief.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he wailed to the sky, oblivious to the fact that a black matter obscured everything now, energy flashing as lightning in the midst of it.

Mephiles merely laughed as his plan came to fruition. "At long last," he snarled gleefully, "I can finish what I started fifteen years ago...with your help, all shall be as it was meant to be…"

A shriek in the sky pierced through the madness surrounding them, but even that didn't snap Ash out of his grieving. Soon, a multi-colored phoenix descended through the madness as Mephiles looked, a mad happiness lining his face, which was now fully visible.

"HO-OH!" he roared in victory as the legendary rainbow Pokemon descended, an apparent sad look in its eye. Mephiles pulled out a diamond-shaped stone, glowing a bright purple as he raised it.

"Now, Chaos Emerald," he sneered. "It's time for the final curtain call!"

No sooner had he said this than the other six emeralds appeared right beside him. Their energy pulsed around him as they spun, transforming him into pure energy that slowly spun around Ho-Oh, consuming it.

And the world exploded.

* * *

**Couldn't have a Sonic 06 fic without Mephiles' iconic evil laugh, right? Right. ;)**


	3. Chapter 3

**Wow, now that I read that note at the end of the last chapter, I realize just how mean it sounds. Sonic dies, Ash is grieving, and I have the nerve to joke about Mephiles' laugh?!**

**Whatever. Read the story and please, for my sake, enjoy it. :\**

* * *

Chapter 3: The Heart of Evil

"Urgh," Shadow grunted, getting onto his hands and knees from a facedown position. He shook himself and looked around.

The sight was dismal.

"How can this be?" he wondered aloud, his voice echoing lightly yet sinisterly against the dank walls. They were reminiscent of the corrupted Cameran Palace he fought Mephiles in last, only this time it was much more widespread. "He wields aura...but...aura can't possibly create this...or Chaos, for that matter. How is this possible?"

A simmering sound from beside him shook him from his thoughts. He turned and saw a dark, sinister substance swirling around, forming a small fiend that flew at him, shrieking as it attacked. On instinct, he put up a shield and batted it away. It shrieked in pain as it dissolved back into the substance that made it. Shadow snatched one piece of this and looked at it as it sat seemingly lifeless in his hand.

"What is this?" he whispered. "I've never seen anything like it." He stared at it a moment more, then clenched his fist. "I guess that can wait. Right now, I've got to hurry!"

* * *

Silver's eyes flared open. Just a moment before, he was frantically looking for Dawn when that mysterious substance took her away. The next thing he knew, the substance erupted all around him in the new world he had saved, consuming everything in sight, including him. Now he was here, in a sinister room filled with disgust.

"Dawn?" he called, his voice echoing: _Dawn, dawn, dawn…_

_Dusk…_

Silver froze. "I...don't remember saying that." He shivered. "This is insane." He pressed himself against a wall, hoping for warmth, but he was rewarded with a chilling encounter. He clenched his fist, anger and determination surging through his veins.

"Don't worry, Dawn," he whispered. "I _will_ find you."

* * *

"May?" Misty called out as soon as she could feel herself again. "May?! May, where are you?" The room she found herself in was a horrifying place, with a pungent stench and an awful chill. She shivered, even in her old pink jacket.

"Misty!"

She looked up and found the brunette stuck under a blob. "May!" she cried, rushing over to her and trying to pull her out. It was no use. She was stuck fast.

"Hang on!" a familiar voice called.

They looked up. "Brock!" they exclaimed. The breeder quickly pulled at May and, with his and Misty's efforts coordinated, they succeeded in pulling her out of her predicament.

"Thanks," she stood up, brushing herself off. "Oh, man...I hope that washes out."

"Yuck," Misty grimaced. "Just what is this place?"

"I don't know," Brock shook his head. "It's awful, isn't it?"

"And where's Ash?"

Brock and May looked at each other, fear in their eyes (or whatever Brock had). "Come on," Brock nodded. "We've got to find him."

"Right," Misty nodded, and they ventured ever deeper into the heart of darkness. May stood there a moment, worried.

"How do we even know he's here?" she whispered, then she followed them.

* * *

"Yugh," Jessie grumbled as she pulled herself out of a mossy pit. "That has got to be the most disgusting pit I've ever gotten stuck in."

"Horrid, horrid slime," James grumbled. "And I just washed the suit, too!"

"All I have to say is that I'm not cleaning myself for a week," Meowth snapped. "This stuff would make my tongue shrivel!"

"_Woooooobbuffet!_" Wobbuffet agreed when he pulled himself out of the ditch. Jessie recalled him.

"Now what?" James mused.

"I don't know," Jessie clenched her fists. "We should try to find Shadow."

* * *

Shadow rushed through the sinister halls, barely staying sane as the stench of the place reeked. All the while, one question ran through his mind: _How did Mephiles do this?_

He stopped abruptly when something caught his eye. Doubling back, he investigated further and saw that his eyes had not deceived him. Inside the wall, the figure of a young girl could be seen: her eyes, if eyes they were and not just a replica, were softly closed, her face radiating innocence. Shadow placed a hand on her "arm" and blinked. It was warmer than what he had hitherto felt.

"How strange," he mused.

"Shadow!"

He turned sharply at the voice. "Silver?!"

"How did you get here?" Silver asked, puzzled.

"I could ask you the same thing," Shadow informed him. "Where are we?"

"I don't know," Silver shook his head. "One second I'm being consumed by this substance, and then the next thing I know -" He stopped abruptly when he saw what Shadow was staring at. "Oh...my…"

Shadow raised an eyebrow. "Huh?"

Silver blinked. "It can't be…"

"What?"

Silver didn't hear him. He just sunk to his knees in sadness. "It's...Dawn…"

* * *

"He's gotta be around here somewhere!" Misty growled, clenching her fists.

"But where?" Brock muttered.

"Ash!" May called. "Can you hear me? Please, where are you?!" She held her heart. It felt like it was breaking. "I need you…" she whispered.

"May," Misty turned to her compassionately. "Don't worry. We're going to find him. I promise."

May didn't respond. A sudden hissing sound shook them all back to reality.

"Guys! Over here!" Brock called, beckoning them to a corridor. They ran over and gasped.

A massive pool of yellow bile boiled beneath them, small plots of "land" slowly sinking into them and withering. And in the very center of the room…

Misty gasped. "It's Sonic!"

* * *

Silver just sat in front of the figure of Dawn, not moving, while Shadow stood beside him, slight compassion in his heart.

"Silver," he whispered, "we have to go and find the others."

"If they're here," Silver sighed sadly.

"They are," Shadow nodded. "I can feel it."

"What about the Chosen One? Is he here?"

Shadow blinked and held his heart. "I...I don't know, Silver. I don't know where he is, or even if he's supposed to be here right now. In fact, to tell you the truth…"

"Huh?"

Shadow took a deep breath and exhaled sadly. "Silver...I'm not even sure the Chosen One exists."

Silver's eyes widened in shock. "W-What?! But...the prophecy said -!"

"The prophecy may just be made up," he shrugged. "Who knows if it's even true?" He clenched his fist. "But it exists for a reason: to give us hope when there is none."

"What good will that do?"

Shadow looked him in the eye firmly. "Because when the world can't find a reason to hope, _we_ must give it to them." He extended his hand to his companion. "Will you help me, Silver?"

Silver looked at it for a moment in uncertainty, but in the end he nodded and clasped his hand, standing up. "Yes. If the Chosen One really is a myth made to give us hope, then we must fight to accomplish what he was prophesied to do."

Shadow nodded and looked towards the corridor entrance. "I get the feeling there's something this way."

"Then what are we waiting for?" Silver clenched his fist. "Let's get moving!"

"Hey!" Shadow was indignant. "That's my line!"

"Oh...sorry," Silver shrugged. "Uh, then what should I…?"

"Let's go!" Shadow shouted, rushing out and leaving him in the dust. Silver clenched his fists and looked back at Dawn's form in the wall.

"Okay," he nodded. "For Dawn."

* * *

**I should be clear that the "Dawn" Silver and Shadow are seeing here is not the real Dawn. It's just an image. ****I normally don't do this, but I didn't want to get caught under fire when she appears again.**

**Anyways, are you enjoying this? I'm having a fine time writing it, but looking over my work? It doesn't make me swell up with pride like I did with my other stories. :(**


	4. Chapter 4

**Well, I'm glad you guys are enjoying this story. It's almost done, so thank goodness for that. Then I can get on to writing other stuff I've got planned for 2015.**

* * *

Chapter 4: Turn to Ash

"How you doing down there?" May called.

"Do I have to answer?" Misty retorted. She was deep inside the chasm, trying to reach Sonic's limp form, hanging by a rope May pulled from her fanny pack.

"Just don't bite off more than you can chew," Brock replied.

"It's steaming hot down here!" Misty grumbled. "It's almost unbearable!"

"Hang in there!" May encouraged her.

Misty was at the bottom now, right above the liquid's surface. She looked up and saw Sonic's platform a good distance away from her. "This is gonna be tricky," she muttered as she steadied herself on the wall, then called up, "Give me a little more rope!"

"Huh?"

"I'm gonna take a swing for it!"

"Um...okay," May muttered uncertainly, giving her more rope. Misty waited, then when she was certain she had enough she took a deep breath. _Only one shot to get this right_ she thought. _Hang on, Misty. You can do this._ With that, her eyes flared open, and she leapt out to Sonic's platform.

She landed on both of her feet.

"Way to go!" May cheered.

"Save your breath," Brock muttered, pointing at the area of Sonic's platform where his feet were. Part of it broke, leaving his legs dangling over the edge. "Misty! It's going under! Hang on tight; we're pulling you back!"

"Hurry!" she called back, taking Sonic in her arms and clutching the rope tightly. With a hard yank that burned Misty's hand, the rope yanked her right into the wall. The shock of hitting it caused her to lose her grip on Sonic, but she quickly recovered and grabbed his wrist. The rest of the rescue mission was smooth sailing, as Brock and May pulled the two of them up, while they watched the platform he was laying on sink into oblivion as the acid shrivelled it up.

"Boy, what a lot of trouble you caused us," May grumbled at Sonic's body. "Why couldn't you just wake up and jump outta there?" There was no response, irritating May. "Hey! Are you listening to me?!"

"Wait a minute," Brock stopped her a moment, then placed his hand on Sonic's chest. He pulled back after a moment, his face solemn. "He's as cold as the walls around us."

Misty's eyes widened. "No," she whispered. "You can't mean…"

"Oh, no," May breathed.

* * *

"Do you have any idea where we're going?" Silver asked out loud.

"No," Shadow shook his head as they ran down the corridor. "But there's gotta be a way out of here."

"So we keep looking until we find it, is that right?" Silver grumbled.

"Just put a lid on it," Shadow rolled his eyes. "I'm doing my best here."

"Hey, look up there!"

Shadow looked up, and his eyes grew wide. "What is that?"

A pink, spherical object hung from above, connected to the walls by web-like links. "It looks important," Silver muttered, jumping up and hovering. "Let's see what happens when we destroy it!"

"This might cause more harm than good," Shadow admonished.

"If it'll get us outta here, it'll be worth it!" Silver called back. With that, he unleashed a blast of pure, telekinetic energy against the pink core. No sooner had his blast connected than the core shivered and simmered.

* * *

"Whoa!" Brock danced around, trying to keep his balance.

"What is this?" Misty called.

"It doesn't look good!" May shuddered.

* * *

"Stop shaking me, James!" Jessie shouted.

"I'm not shaking anything! In fact, I'm the one being shaken!" James replied.

"Shut up, both of yous!" Meowth snapped as they held onto each other for dear life while the world around them shook violently.

* * *

"What did that do?" Shadow wondered aloud, as the core was now shriveled.

"Hey, look!" Silver exclaimed. "The roof is gone!"

"The roof?"

"The roof!"

"The roof is on fire," Shadow rolled his eyes. His hover shoes propelled him into the sky at max power. He looked around and saw a bleak sight:

They were out in the open now, but the sky as they knew it was not visible. Instead, a swirling vortex of darkness enveloped everything in sight. At the top of the structure they'd been trapped in, an arena of sorts stood, looking over the vast expanse.

Shadow's eyes widened. "That's part of Mt. Silver!"

"Huh?"

Shadow looked at his friend with eager expectation. "That platform holding the arena is part of Mt. Silver's peak. I bet Mephiles is close by!" With that, he flew towards the arena, with Silver right on his heels. They landed and looked wildly around for their foe.

"_Still fighting, Shadow?_" a bellowing voice came, shaking the two unlikely heroes. Shadow looked up and saw a massive, phoenix-like creature, consumed in the dark material that made up the world they were trapped in, descend upon them, its hideous, soulless eyes glowering down at the two. "_I should have known you wouldn't give up...even though the skies have become oh so rough._"

"Are you kidding me?!" Silver groaned. "He referenced THAT of all things?!"

"References or no references, this ends _now_," Shadow growled, leaping up to deliver a powerful blow. To his shock, the phoenix merely batted him away with its wing, knocking him to the ground seriously fazed.

"Shadow!" Silver cried, rushing up to him. "Are you okay?"

"Ungh," Shadow grunted as he got to his hands and knees. "Just give me a second to recover and I'll be fine."

"_You will all fall before me!_" the monster roared.

"We will never fall before you!" Silver retorted. "As long as we draw breath, we will continue to fight until the world is the way it's meant to be!"

"_Your cause is hopeless!_" the phoenix retorted. "_Why fight when in the end your efforts will always come up short? Don't you understand? You're fighting for a lost cause!_"

Silver clenched his fists. "Oh, I understand all right. It's _you_ who fails to understand: those are the only kind worth fighting for!"

The monster merely chuckled at that remark. "_You've got guts, hedgehog. I can't help but compliment your steadfast nature._" A sudden explosion from behind Silver and Shadow caught their attention a moment, as another wall of the prison they escaped from blew open, the material that made it up swarming to the phoenix and increasing its size. "_But that's all it is: guts. And very soon, they will be spilled all over the ground!_"

"How much more are you willing to kill before this ends?!" Shadow stood up and shouted.

"_What?_" The phoenix sounds puzzled at his remark.

"Where will it end?! You already killed Sonic, and I know you'd be perfectly happy to tear out my throat where I stand! When will your lust for death end?!"

The monster looked at Shadow through the dust curiously, as though to consider his remark. "_My lust is not for death, Shadow. It is for power...anyone who stands in my way will taste death. If I didn't have to kill, I wouldn't._"

"Then don't," Shadow growled. "Give this up now."

"_No!_" the phoenix snarled. "_My lust for power will not be quenched...oh, no..._not _until the world has turned to ash!_"

Shadow shook his head. "I should have known you wouldn't be reasonable. A monster who kills without reason can't be reasoned with." His body suddenly flared with a red aura. "I guess I'll have to speak in a language that you actually understand!"

Silver's body also flared with a green aura. "Let's finish this once and for -"

Before he could even finish his statement, the phoenix unleashed a blast of pure power from its mouth, knocking them to the ground, stunned beyond the ability to recover in time.

"_Even the ultimate lifeform cannot stop me,_" it roared. "_I am all-powerful! Now, Shadow...behold...the destruction of the world that your precious Maria loved so much...the world that Silver fought so hard to protect! It's like I told you, Silver: you can try all you want to save the world, but in the end, you will always lose._" The fiend eyed them sinisterly. "_Frankly, I would rather keep you alive a little longer just so you can see what will become of this world while you slip slowly into madness. But I've waited far too long to destroy you completely. Now, Shadow the Hedgehog...you will DIE!_"

An ominous, shrieking sound slowly grew louder and louder as the phoenix charged a blast of pure power in its beak.

"Ungh!" Silver struggled to get on his feet, but to no avail. "I can't get up...I'm too weak...Shadow!"

"We fought well," Shadow nodded, just as weak as Silver. "But it's over."

"Is there nothing we can do?"

"At this point," Shadow shook his head, "no."

The shrieking sound was very loud now, as the phoenix's power blast was nearing its completion of charge. Another moment, and it lifted from the ground with a mighty flap of its wings. Shadow and Silver clenched their eyes shut, bracing themselves for the pain that was coming.

But just as the phoenix was about to fire, the sound of a launch suddenly pierced the air. The monster looked to where the wall that was destroyed once stood, curious. It noticed a bright blue glow slowly growing bigger and brighter. No sooner had it noticed this than this glow revealed itself to be a blue sphere of pure energy. It slammed right into the monster, whose power blast shot into the sky and exploded, completely useless.

Shadow and Silver's eyes shot open. "What?!"

"_What's this?!_" the monster roared. "_What is this new trick of yours?!_"

"We couldn't have pulled that off if we wanted to!" Silver retorted. "What makes you think it was us?"

"_I'm not stupid, Silver the Hedgehog. You can't fool me._"

"He's telling the truth, you devil," Shadow growled. "Neither of us did that."

"_Oh really? Then tell me, Shadow...who did?_"

"I did."

The three of them turned towards the place where the wall once stood, now noticing something they hadn't before: a silhouette. Though it was still before, now it was moving, and the image was growing clearer as a young man stepped out of the dust. He wore a blue jacket over a green shirt. His fiery brown eyes were locked on one thing, and his wild raven hair was contained only by a red and white cap. His gloved hands glowed a bright blue as he marched with no hesitation towards his target.

Shadow's eyes widened. "It's Ash!"

Silver pumped his fist. "All right!"

Ash didn't seem to register these cheers as he marched. He didn't hesitate, not for a moment, until he stood before the monster that leered down at him.

"_You,_" the beast snarled. "_You would dare to challenge the most powerful being the world has ever known?!_"

"I'm a Pokemon Master," he declared boldly. "I dare a lot of things, and I dare to say: _This ends now._"

"If I had a dollar for every time I've heard that, I'd get me a PS3," Shadow rolled his eyes.

"I'd get an Xbox," Silver shrugged. "But to be fair, I think he actually has the power to live up to his words."

"_You place your hopes on him?_" the phoenix glared at them, chuckling in amusement. "_Good. Then you can watch as you play right into my hands._"

"You have no hands," Silver rolled his eyes. "You traded them for a pair of wings."

"Yeah, but he's still got his voice," Shadow reminded him.

"Wrong story Shadow."

Shadow blinked. "Oh...oops."

The phoenix looked back at the young man standing before him. "_A Pokemon Master, you say? That's the boldest statement I've ever heard from you. And that's saying something, because you've said many bold things. Tell me, Ash...where do you get it? Why do you fight so hard?_"

Ash's face didn't even twitch. "Because it's right."

The monster chuckled. "_You cannot defeat me...not with that ideology. You will die...all alone._"

"He's not alone!"

Everyone turned and saw another silhouette slowly walking out. When it became clearer, Shadow's eyes widened.

"Sonic?"

"What happened to him?!" Silver exclaimed as he watched the young woman with fiery hair walk out with the blue hedgehog's limp form in her arms. She wasn't alone. Following her was May, Brock, and Team Rocket.

"Ash has never been alone, and he never will be!" Misty shouted. "Not as long as we're here, right Ash?"

To everyone's surprise, Ash didn't even seem to register what his best friend was saying. His eyes were fixed on the phoenix, and the phoenix alone. "You lie and kill to get what you want," he growled, tightening his fists, "you have no remorse. Why do _you_ think that you can win where everyone else has failed?!"

The phoenix got right in his face, eyes growing huge as they leered down at him. "_Because all of you...from your past enemies to your friends...have no conviction._"

Without another thought, Ash reached up, flipped his cap around, and let the aura flare on his fists. "End of the road! You're mine!" He rushed forward, fist blazing, and he launched it forward with one thought in mind: _This is for my father._

"Ash!" May cried in fear. Though his punch connected, the monster threw him back, seemingly unfazed. He leapt back up and tried to punch it again, but this time he got thrown back violently. The phoenix reared its head back and roared in victory.

"_You insolent fools!_" the monster snarled. "_You placed all your hopes on one little fool who doesn't know when to grow up! You brought this on yourselves._" It leered at them. "You _have turned this world to ash._"

"You honestly expect us to believe that _we_ caused the end of the world?!" Meowth shouted.

"That's rubbish. We're not that criminal," Jessie growled.

"We'll never fall for your tricks!" James shouted.

The phoenix chuckled once again, completely unfazed. "_You fools still fail to understand the true meaning of the prophecy? It does not speak of the end of the world!_"

Shadow clenched his fists. "Then what does it mean?!" he growled to himself, furiously running it through his head. "'Disturb not the harmony of fire, ice, or lightning, lest these titans wreak destruction upon the world in which they clash. Though the water's great guardian shall arise to quell the fighting, alone its song will fail...'"

"'And thus the earth,'" the monster sneered as it looked down at the young man before him, "'_shall turn to Ash._'"

Shadow's eyes widened as he finally realized what the monster meant. "W-What?!"

"You can't mean…" Silver breathed in shock.

"_Yes_," the phoenix sneered. "_The world shall turn to Ash. That is exactly what it means._"

Shadow and Silver blinked, mouths hanging agape. Then, in perfect synchronization, their hands slammed into their faces while they shut their eyes.

"I can't BELIEVE this!" Shadow shouted in irritation.

"How did we not see it before?!" Silver shouted likewise.

"I feel so stupid!"

"I feel stupider!"

"No, you didn't know much of him. _I'm_ the one who's stupid!"

"Well I still could have figured it out! So either way, I'm still stupid!"

The phoenix leered down at Ash's limp form, eyes glowing in glee. "_Now...the end begins!_" With that, its jaws opened wide.

"No!" May suddenly cried, breaking out of her stupor and rushing at the monster, anger in her eyes. "You're not taking him away! Not again!"

"May!?" Misty's eyes widened.

"Wait!" Brock called.

Shadow looked up, eyes widening in horror. "What?! May, no!"

May didn't hear them, as she threw herself on top of Ash…

...right as the jaws of the phoenix shut on him. It slowly raised its head, and swallowed.

"No," Misty whispered. "It can't be."

A blue flame suddenly flared on its body, its eyes now glowing a bright blue as it leered at them. It was in that moment as Shadow looked up at the fiend, staring into the face of absolute power, that he realized the truth.

_This was his plan all along. That's why he wanted Ash...to gain his power and become...UNSTOPPABLE!_

The phoenix glared at them, grinning malevolently. "_Now...I am free...to kill you all._"


	5. Chapter 5

**Well I was hoping to finish uploading this before school started, but I missed that by a few days. Oh well. Let's finish this once and for all!**

* * *

Chapter 5: To Stop the Unstoppable

"We've got to stop him," Silver growled, clenching his fists.

"There's nothing we can do," Shadow growled back. "The best we can do now is delay his power."

"Whatever!" Silver shouted. "I'll do whatever it takes to turn this around!"

Shadow ground his teeth. _I don't see much hope, but it's our only shot. Only a miracle can save us now._

* * *

"Ungh," Ash groaned, getting to his hands and knees. "Oof. That didn't feel good." His eyes widened when he remembered. "Uh! May! May?!" He began looking frantically around for her. "May, where are you?!"

"Over here!"

He ran over to the source of the voice and found May hanging onto the edge, struggling to get up. He helped her up, and the two briefly embraced.

"Where are we?" she asked.

Ash looked down at the chasm May just pulled herself out of. Boiling, yellow liquid simmered at the bottom, much like the acid that nearly consumed Sonic. He looked up at the dank, dark roof above them. There was no way out...or in.

"I think we're inside Ho-Oh," he breathed.

"W-What?!" May shuddered. "How can that be?!"

"I don't know," he shook his head. "But if we're still alive, that's gotta mean something good. Maybe we can take him out from the inside."

"That may be our only option," May shivered. "Shadow and the others don't stand a chance."

Ash turned towards a small doorway-esque hole in the wall. A pink light emanated from this hole. He clenched his fists and started for the door.

"Ash?"

"Wait here," he looked back at her. "I'm going in."

* * *

"What are you doing?" Misty asked worriedly.

"We don't have a choice anymore," Shadow shook his head. "Silver and I will generate a force field around us all."

"Will it hold?"

Shadow didn't reply. He simply turned away, and together with Silver, they created a massive force field surrounding the lot of them.

The phoenix looked on in amusement. "_How pathetic_," it sneered. "_All hope is lost._"

* * *

Ash turned towards the door and started walking out, only to be pulled back by a soft but powerful grip.

"You're gonna leave me behind while you go and face certain death?" May snapped. "Not a chance!"

"I'm not asking, May," he growled, turning to her. "The last thing I want is for you to get hurt."

"I've gotten hurt before, Ash," she retorted. "Plenty of times. How is this any different?"

"That's not the point," he grabbed her arms forcefully. "Just stay here and wait for me to come back." With that, he turned and started walking forward again.

"No!"

Ash stopped on hearing this and turned back, his eyes narrowing as his patience diminished. "Excuse me?!"

"You heard me! I'm not leaving you like this!"

"I didn't ask you to leave," he growled lowly. "I asked you to stay here."

"Why? Why can't I come with you?"

"This is something I gotta do," he snapped back, raising his voice slightly, "and I can't fret myself worrying over you while I do it, okay?"

"Why?" she snapped again. "Why do you have to do this alone? Why do you always have to be the hero?!"

"That's not the point."

"Yes, it is!" she shouted, shocking Ash. "Who helped destroy that fake Groudon while I writhed in its belly? You! Who saved LaRousse City from a corrupt security system and restored the Tree of Beginning while I helplessly looked on? You! And who was it that saved the Temple while Manaphy, Pikachu, and I sat inside a cramped capsule worrying ourselves sick over your safety?! YOU! You're ALWAYS the hero, Ash! You're always saving the day like a lone ranger! Why can't I help you just this once?!"

"This is not a discussion, May," he growled, a light menace in his voice. "You're staying here. I won't risk your life over this." With that, he turned and once again tried to leave her behind.

* * *

"Ungh!" Shadow grunted as the phoenix slammed the shield with yet another blast of raw power. "How much longer can we keep this up?"

"I'm getting weary," Silver groaned. "But I won't give up!"

Brock, Misty, and Team Rocket looked on helplessly. "If only there was a way we could help them," Brock muttered grimly.

* * *

May clenched her fists, thinking furiously, when an idea struck her. "What are you trying to prove?"

Ash stopped in his tracks, but he didn't turn around. May knew she had caught his attention. "Come on, Ash. You can tell me anything."

"Not this," he mumbled, but May heard him.

"Ash, I know you trust me. What are you trying to prove?"

There was silence for a moment. Then Ash shook his head. "That's no concern of yours."

"It is, now."

He clenched his teeth, seething. "You wouldn't understand!"

"What? What wouldn't I understand?" Ash didn't answer. "What is it, Ash?" She walked up so she was standing right beside him. "What is it I don't know or understand?" He didn't answer, his eyes shaded by the brim of his hat. "Ash, tell me! I want to know!" Still no answer, but he was slowly tensing up. "Ash! What is it?" He was shaking, now. "What is it I wouldn't understand?!"

"YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE!" he finally exploded, looking up at her with a furious expression. "YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO GO THROUGH LIFE WITHOUT A FATHER: WITHOUT SOMEONE WHO IS THERE FOR YOU EVERY STEP OF THE WAY! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WONDER EVERY WAKING DAY OF YOUR LIFE WHAT IT WAS THAT MADE HIM LEAVE! YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT IT'S LIKE TO THINK THAT IT'S YOUR FAULT, THAT IT WAS SOMETHING YOU DID, THAT MAYBE, JUST MAYBE, IF YOU HAD DONE SOMETHING DIFFERENT, HE WOULD HAVE STAYED! NO, MAY! YOU COULD NEVER UNDERSTAND HOW HORRIBLE THAT FEELING IS!"

May stepped back, shocked at his explosive outburst. She opened her mouth to say something, but then she looked deep into Ash's eyes and saw that even though his whole face was filled with anger and rage, his eyes had changed from their natural brown to a blazing auburn. She wasn't sure if it was just her imagination, but she thought she could see a tear brim in one before he squeezed his eyes shut, clenching his teeth.

"Ash," she choked, putting a hand on his shoulder. He stiffened and tried to brush it off, but she stayed put. "That's what it was? All these years, everything you did...is that what it was all about? You were trying to put that behind you?"

He looked up at her, his auburn eyes glimmering as he slowly nodded, then he looked back down in shame.

"You may not believe me, but I do understand what you're going through, if only to an extent." Ash didn't respond, so she went on, "You probably wish you were someone else right now, don't you? Maybe you wish you were never even born in the first place. Yet still you strive to do the right thing, be the best you can be, and save the world, because in the end, that's just who you are."

Ash looked up, eyes glimmering even more. "H-How do you know that?" His voice shook as his emotions slowly took control.

"You see, my father was always there. He never did physically leave. But when Max was born, he and Mom gave him all the attention, all the education, all the knowledge in the world. I was left in the dust...in the ashes. That's why I didn't want to be a trainer at first. I didn't want to be like him. But you showed me that there is more to life than I could imagine." She pulled him closer. "I do understand, Ash. You're not alone, and you never will be."

He looked into her eyes, mouth quivering as his emotions slowly rose. "May…" he whispered, barely choking it out before throwing his arms around her in a passionate embrace. She squeezed him back, slowly rubbing his back as he sobbed into her shoulder. Though the world around them was cold as ice, where they stood, there was only warmth, as their bodies comforted each other in this deep embrace. The warm tears flowed down Ash's face as he let out years and years of pent-up grief that had gone unacknowledged for so long. May herself felt a tear or two fall from her eyes as compassion for her best friend overwhelmed her emotions.

When they pulled apart, they stared deep into each other's eyes. May's arms remained around Ash's neck, while his remained around her waist. Their faces were a few inches apart.

"I'm sorry, May," he whispered. "That was so selfish of me." He looked down. "Maybe he's right. Maybe I am just like him."

"Now you stop right there, Ash Ketchum," she snapped, bringing him back up to look at her. "You are nothing like that monster, you hear me? Absolutely nothing like him!" She smiled again as she stroked his face. "Selfish?" she whispered. "You? I can't think of anything farther from the truth."

He smiled, stroking her face like she did his. "You really think so?"

"I know so," she smiled warmly. Slowly, their faces came together until they were enveloped in a passionate but tender kiss. It lasted all but a few short seconds, but it was enough to reassure the both of them of their love for one another.

When they broke apart, they looked each other in the eye once again before embracing once more. Ash stroked her hair while she ruffled his. After another tender moment, they broke apart and held each other's hands.

"Are you ready?" he whispered, his eyes regaining their natural brown hue.

She nodded. "Let's do it."

"Together."

* * *

"Ugwahh!" Shadow cried in agony. "I can't go on much longer!"

"Hang on, Shadow!" Silver encouraged. "We've got to hang on!"

Shadow planted his feet and kept the field going.

* * *

Ash peeked through the hole in the wall and found himself face-to-face with a rather unsettling sight: a pink, spherical object attached to the wall. It pulsated, emitting a thumping sound as it glowed.

"What is this?" he wondered. "Could it be...his heart?"

"I bet destroying it will hurt," May agreed. "Can you do it?"

"I think so," he nodded, holding his outstretched hands up towards it as aura flared on them. The core began reacting immediately, though not violently.

"Uh...Ash?"

"Hm?" Ash didn't turn around, as he was too busy concentrating.

"What are those things?"

"Huh? Ack!" Ash turned around to see strange creatures made of black substance coming towards them. Their shapes varied, but they resembled Pokemon. "Can you stop them?"

May whipped out a Pokeball. "Blaziken can. Come on out!" With that, the Pokeball opened, releasing her starter Pokemon. "All right, Blaziken. You know what to do!"

With that, Blaziken took to the battle, slashing at the deformed Pokemon and knocking them out with ease. Ash, meanwhile, continued to concentrate on destroying the core with his aura. The two forces repelled each other, so he had to up the ante. The core began beating faster.

* * *

As the phoenix relentlessly assaulted the force field, Silver's eyes began to water once again from the strain this caused him. Despite this, he could still see the phoenix's movement.

He wasn't sure if it was just his imagination, but he thought he saw the monster's wings beating slightly faster.

* * *

"They're still coming, Ash!" May cried.

Ash's eyes widened as he saw the core's violent pulsing. _They're reacting to it! It's calling them! It's an immune system!_ "Keep them occupied! I've almost got this!"

Blaziken performed yet another Sky Uppercut, but she was growing weary. May clenched her fists. _We can't keep this up much longer!_ Then her eyes widened, and she nodded as she pulled out a small bracelet and clipped it onto her wrist.

"Okay," she nodded. "Let's see if this works!" With that, she pressed two fingers onto it.

Blaziken began glowing as a bright sphere of energy enveloped her. Then it shattered, revealing...a Mega-Blaziken!

"That's what I'm talking about!"

* * *

"GAHHHG!"

Silver looked over sharply as Shadow fell to the ground, his power exhausted. "Shadow!" he cried. "No! Come on! Get up!"

"_IT'S TOO LATE!_" the fiend roared as the force field defending them vaporized into nothing. Silver looked up, eyes wide with horror while the fiend leered over them, sneering. "_Any last words?_"

* * *

The monsters kept coming, but Mega-Blaziken was never fazed. With a mighty power unbeknownst to this immune system, she whipped them all into shape...and oblivion.

"NOW!" Ash cried, unleashing a fully-charged aura sphere at the core. He scored a direct hit.

The ensuing explosion blinded them all.

* * *

The phoenix grinned when they were silent. "_That's what I thought._" Without another word, it rose up before them, charging yet another blast of energy.

Then, abruptly, it stopped and began floundering about as though it were choking on something. The ground shook violently as it did so.

"What in the name of Iblis?!" Silver exclaimed. "What's happening?!"

"Huh?" Shadow looked up weakly as the phoenix writhed in agony from no apparent cause.

Suddenly, a gaping hole erupted in its stomach, as raw energy flew out. All this lasted for five seconds, and then there was quiet as the phoenix laid still, unmoving.

In the chaos of what happened, no one noticed Sonic's body, laid to rest, fall off the side of the mountain.

"Is it...dead?" Jessie wondered.

"I certainly hope so," James shrugged. "It would be long overdue."

"Hey! Little help over here?"

Misty's eyes widened. "What the - is that -?!"

"This pit is pretty smelly, and we'd like to get out!"

Misty and Brock ran over to help the owners of the voices, pulling them out. Sure enough, it was Ash and May.

"Are you all right?" Brock asked.

"I think so," May nodded. "But sheesh! I don't know if I'll ever get this smell to wash out!"

Misty looked at Ash in admiration. "You never cease to amaze me."

"Don't flatter me," he winked. "A guy's gotta do what a guy's gotta do."

A sudden lurch shook them out of their conversation, and they quickly ran off the beast's unmoving form and back onto solid ground. Then they watched as the phoenix slipped off the edge of the cliff and plummeted into darkness.

Shadow slowly stood up, panting hard. May rushed over to him. "Are you okay?"

"We...stopped him," he panted. "We...we…"

He collapsed into her arms. She caught him and held him close. "It's okay," she whispered. "I'm here, and I'm not going anywhere."

Shadow didn't hear her. He was passed out.

A sudden rumbling shook everyone out of their thoughts. They looked up and saw the massive beast rising up once more, though it looked battered and wounded. Its chest was untouched, though, as the gaping hole caused by Ash and May remained flapping open.

Team Rocket puked.

"_You really thought destroying my heart would finish me?!_" it roared.

"With how cruel you are, I'm honestly surprised you have one!" Ash shouted back.

The fiend merely chuckled. "_Ah...the Chosen One...nothing more than a little spark that I intend to extinguish._" It looked at the others. "_Look to your hero, you fools! Watch as he burns for defying me._" With that, Ho-Oh began charging another blast of energy.

But mere moments after he started, everyone's attention got diverted, as a serene sound pierced the air: an ethereal, soothing song that carried the weight of ages in it.

Silver's eyes widened. "That song!?"

Ash looked up with eager eyes. "Could it be?"

A piercing sound shook the winds as a blast of unbelievable energy streaked through the sky and slammed into Ho-Oh, knocking his concentration out while it reeled in pain. Then the one who shot the blast came in sight.

"It's Lugia!" Ash exclaimed in delight.

The leviathan descended to their level, though not landing. "_I have waited far too long to act on the villainy of Mephiles. You must forgive me,_" Lugia bowed, "_O Chosen One._"

Ash raised an eyebrow, then chuckled. "No need to bow to me. I'm no royalty."

"Wait a minute," Silver stepped forward, "if you knew about Mephiles, why didn't you act sooner?"

"_I did not receive the proper summons,_" Lugia explained. "_With the titans of the air at peace with one another, I had no reason to rise out of the sea...until the three treasures were assembled with the Silver Wing._"

"But we didn't do that," Ash muttered. "So who did?"

"I did!"

They looked up and saw a familiar face poking out from behind Lugia. "Oh, and you need the three treasures if you want any chance of beating that monster, but I've got them here, too! No need to worry!"

Silver's eyes widened as she got down from her perch. "D-Dawn?"

"Hi, Silver!" she grinned, and pulled him into a hug. Slightly taken aback by her sudden change in personality, Silver slowly returned the hug, a tear escaping his eye.

She then turned to Ash. "Here...you're gonna need these," she handed him the three treasures.

Ash nodded. "Thanks." She abruptly hugged him. "Uh...Dawn?"

She pulled out of it and looked at him, a solemn look in her eyes. "I remember."

Ash blinked. "Remember...what?"

"Everything."

Silver blinked. "What is she talking about?"

"_There will be time for this later,_" Lugia assured them.

"_No, there won't!_" Ho-Oh growled. "_You think pitting one monster against another will solve your problems?_"

"I've had enough of your condescending remarks," Ash growled. "It's time we finally put an end to this!"

"_Come, Chosen One,_" Lugia beckoned, lowering his neck. Ash climbed aboard. "_Let us bring peace to this world at long last!_"

Ho-Oh took to the stormy sky, Lugia hot on his heels. Everyone was so focused on this, however, that no one saw a smaller, bright streak of light fly after them.

The final battle was about to begin.


	6. Chapter 6

**Note: For the first part of this battle, I experimented with something. How did it go? You tell me: listen to "Solaris: Phase 2" while reading it. Notice anything?**

* * *

Chapter 6: The Final Battle

The clouded skies fogged their vision, and soon Ash and Lugia didn't know where they were. Ash looked around sharply, slightly worried. "I don't like this," he shivered slightly.

"_Sight can be deceiving_," Lugia reminded him. "_You must trust the aura now_."

Ash shrugged and closed his eyes, searching his troubled soul. The aura was there, but it was messy. He struggled to get it together, but he managed to detect one thing before it could happen.

"Duck!" he cried, steering Lugia downwards. They narrowly escaped a whizzing blast of dark energy soaring over their heads.

"_So...you have succeeded in pursuing me into the darkness, have you?_" the sinister voice of Ho-Oh sneered. "_Good. Now you shall die...all alone, with no one to mourn for you._"

"Fair deal," Ash growled. "But I'll take that on one condition."

"_And what's that?_"

"That I take you with me!" he shouted.

Ho-Oh merely chuckled. "_That is a deal I cannot accept._"

"Then I guess it's all or nothing," Ash clenched his fists, the aura flaring on them.

With that, Lugia charged a powerful Aeroblast, drawing in some of Ash's aura to power it up even more, and then, with a mighty flap of his wings, unleashed the awesome blast against Ho-Oh. It hit dead on, forcing Ho-Oh backwards, but the fiend quickly reared back and retaliated with his own awesome blast. It scored a direct hit, seriously fazing Lugia. Ash placed his hand on Lugia's side to stem the injury. Then Lugia flew straight at Ho-Oh, ramming into him. Ho-Oh grabbed him with his vicious talons and threw him off, Lugia shrieking in pain. Ash used his aura to mend the wound Ho-Oh caused, then threw a small aura sphere at the monster. It served as a distraction while Lugia unleashed a powerful psychic attack that confused Ho-Oh. Ash leapt off of Lugia's back and punched the fiend in the back. Ho-Oh threw him off in the confusion that ensued from Lugia's attack, and Lugia caught him. Then the leviathan flew straight at the monster and rammed into him once more. Ho-Oh got even more disoriented for a moment, but the shock of the slam quickly wore it off, and he slashed at Lugia with his vicious talons. Lugia took the hit, and then slammed his jaws onto Ho-Oh's left wing. Ho-Oh shook him off, but the dark substance that covered his body was not unaffected, as some of it swarmed into the night sky, hissing as it flew. Then the monster flew straight at Lugia to ram into him, but Lugia flapped his wings and evaded the attack. While this went on, Ash was charging a sphere of pure aura. The moment they faced Ho-Oh again, he unleashed it, a fully-charged aura sphere slamming into the corrupt fiend. Ho-Oh shrieked in agony, flapping around haphazardly.

"_It seems I underestimated the power of your aura, Chosen One,_" Ho-Oh snarled, venom lacing every word he spoke.

"And I underestimated the extent of your power," Ash retorted. "Corrupting a legendary Pokemon is an insane task. How could anyone accomplish it?!"

"_I am not simply 'anyone!'_" Ho-Oh snarled. "_I am eternal!_"

"Only as eternal as I am!" Ash shouted back.

"_FALLLLL!_" Ho-Oh screamed, dark energy swirling around him as a blast of darkness formed in his mouth.

"This is gonna be rough!" Ash called to Lugia.

"_On your word,_" Lugia nodded. Ho-Oh charged for another brief moment, snarling as he did so.

"NOW!" Ash cried, steering Lugia to the right. They evaded the attack handily, and then flew straight at him, Lugia charging another Aeroblast. The attack hit, and more of the substance on Ho-Oh's form flew away, disappearing into the darkness. Ash unleashed another, half-charged aura sphere against his enemy, scoring yet another hit. Ho-Oh reeled in pain and rage, firing dark energy in any random direction he could. Ash and Lugia were lucky enough to escape this, but they were beginning to tire. Lugia flew at Ho-Oh once more, but this time the fiend dodged the attack and followed up with a counter: a blast of dark energy that paralyzed Lugia for a moment. He started to fall, but Ash managed to stem the energy's effects with his aura.

It wasn't enough. Lugia's flight was growing more and more unsteady as the dark energy took hold.

"Lugia!" Ash called. "Are you okay?"

"_I cannot...go on much longer…_" Lugia groaned. "_You must...stop him._"

"I can't do it without you!" Ash cried.

"_Then you're both doomed_," Ho-Oh sneered. "_Say goodbye to your precious home!_" With that, he slammed into Lugia once again, knocking Ash off. He grabbed a strangely-placed ledge in desperation, clawing for his life. But he continued to slip as the cold atmosphere swirled around him, numbing his hands and freezing him up until he couldn't feel the tip of his nose anymore.

"Urrrrrgh!" he snarled, pulling with all his might. "Gotta...hang...ON!"

"_You little fool_," Ho-Oh sneered. "_Did you really think you could have any chance against ME?!_"

"How many times have I heard that today?!" Ash retorted, sarcasm lining his voice.

"_DIEEEEEEEEEE!_" the fiend roared, slamming him with his wing. Ash lost his grip and fell again, flailing in desperation, while Ho-Oh looked down on him in spite.

"_Good riddance_," he snarled. "_Now there is nothing that can stop me!_" His roar of victory echoed through the realm, chilling any soul that heard it.

* * *

As Ash fell, he felt no fear. There was only resignation to his fate. Peace was all he felt as he plummeted, his eyes closed. _I'm sorry, Pikachu...May…_ he whispered to himself. _I...failed. I couldn't save you...I hope you'll be all right. I'll see you again someday._

"Hold on there, partner. You're time's not up just yet."

His eyes flared open. "What?!"

"Hang on. I'll get you to safety."

His mysterious rescuer set him on another ledge, then shot up into the sky in a bright streak of light. Ash looked up, puzzled.

"Was that...Shadow?"

* * *

Ho-Oh stared down at the world beneath him, a sneer lining his face. "_Finally,_" he snarled. "_The world is mine._"

"Not today, you monster!"

"_What's this?!_" Ho-Oh shouted, but before he could get an answer, two bright streaks of light shot past him, blinding him.

"If you thought you could finish us off that easily, you're very wrong!" the voice of Silver the Hedgehog shouted.

"_You again,_" Ho-Oh rolled his eyes.

"This is where you fall once and for all!" came the voice of Shadow the Hedgehog. "This game ends here!"

"_Such arrogance,_" Ho-Oh snarled. "_I'd say it's about time you joined your precious Maria where you belong!_"

"Not so fast, monster!"

Ho-Oh started on hearing that voice. "_What the - it can't be!_"

"Oh yes it can!" came the voice of none other than Sonic the Hedgehog. As if to confirm the blue blur's sudden return to life, a huge streak of energy flew straight into Ho-Oh, sending him reeling at the impact.

"_HOW?!_" he roared. "_I DESTROYED YOU! I WATCHED YOU DIE!_"

"What can I say?" Sonic smirked as he stared Ho-Oh down. "I die hard!" The three hedgehogs were in their super forms.

"How did you come back again?" Silver asked, coming up to him, followed quickly by Shadow.

"I'll explain later," Sonic shrugged. "Truth be told, it's kinda crazy. But right now, let's focus on finishing this monster's game...and ensure that _he's_ the loser!"

"Did you see nothing of what happened earlier?" Shadow looked at him in exasperation. "Ash and Lugia couldn't defeat him with their combined power! How do we stand a chance?!"

Sonic's eyes widened. "Are you serious, Shadow? You don't think we can win this?!"

"Sonic," Shadow looked him seriously in the eye, "this isn't just some foe that we can take down the old-fashioned way, like the Biolizard, or Giratina. This creature's power doesn't just come from this world."

"Well doesn't Giratina's power come from another world?" Silver shrugged.

"Yes, but that world is connected to this one," Shadow acknowledged his point. "But this monster's power...I've never seen anything like it. It's almost as if we're fighting a god!"

Sonic registered this and nodded. "I understand. Alone, we can do much, but together we can do a thousand times more. So let's do this the way we've always done it...together!"

"It's our only shot," Shadow nodded.

"Then let's do it!" Silver pumped his fist.

Ho-Oh looked at them, a mocking expression in his eyes. "_I should have known. Numbers mean nothing to me._"

"Ha!" Sonic jeered. "Your wittiness is as futile as ever!"

"_You filthy little rat!_ Ho-Oh roared, firing an unholy fire blast at him. He dodged. _I'll shred you to pieces with the rest of the lot!_"

"Not today!" he cheered, but his smile dropped off his face when he saw the monster charging him. Silver suddenly got in front of him, arms crossed in a defensive maneuver that created another one of his shields to stop Ho-Oh. It worked...barely, even with his super form.

"I'll take care of this," Silver nodded to him. With that, he used his telekinetic power to grab several rocks that surrounded them and throw them at the monster. They hit dead-on, disorienting him.

"Silver used Rock Blast!" Sonic grinned.

"It's super effective," Shadow nodded.

"This is the end!" Silver cried. "Prepare to meet your doom!" Ho-Oh retaliated with a fierce flap of his wings that disoriented Silver, but he quickly recovered and starting throwing large rocks again. This time around, the fiend didn't take it and merely blasted them away with a mighty flap of his wings. Silver grabbed a massive boulder with his power and threw it. Ho-Oh wasn't strong enough to deflect it, so the rock hit, knocking off more of the substance that engulfed his body.

"I get a feeling that that substance on his body is the key to his power," Shadow growled. "Destroy it, and he will fall in defeat."

"How do ya swing that?" Sonic wondered.

"Leave that to me!" Silver called back. With that, he dashed in, to Sonic and Shadow's shock, and placed his two hands out in front of him, psychic energy glowing. The substance began writhing in defiance, disorienting Ho-Oh.

"All right, Shadow," Sonic nodded. "It's on you, now."

"Understood," Shadow nodded. With that, he flew in. The fiend saw this and fired lasers out of his eyes. They missed, but Shadow looked worried as he fired several streaks of Chaos energy at the beast.

"_Do you really think fighting fire with fire will defeat me?_" the monster sneered. "_Or perhaps your own medicine will cure you of your arrogance._" Shadow suddenly faltered as Ho-OH blasted him away with a mighty series of wing flaps.

"Ungh!" Shadow grunted as he flew longer than he wanted. "My body…"

"I guess it's not ready," Sonic shrugged.

"I...can't move…" Shadow growled, fighting against the wind attack.

"Hang in there, buddy!" Sonic called, surprising the monster with an ambush from the side. The attack stopped his own, freeing Shadow and allowing him to resume his fight. More of the substance flew off of Ho-Oh thanks to Sonic's attack, and even more streaks of Chaos energy attacked the monster, effectively causing static to bristle on its body.

"The Chaos energy doesn't mix with the substance," he wondered. "Perhaps…"

"_Try this, you arrogant fool!_" Ho-Oh roared, mouth glowing. Another blast of unholy fire engulfed Shadow, seemingly destroying him, but it suddenly zapped away as Shadow floated there, a crimson shield surrounding him.

"How about _this?!_" Shadow screamed, slamming into him with his shield intact. The monster screamed in pain, a scalding burn on his side.

"Okay!" Sonic cheered. "Now it's my turn!" With that, he zoomed all around ho-Oh, who was distracted by the pain of his burn which Shadow nurtured, and began randomly punching and kicking him anywhere he could inflict pain. The fiend roared in what appeared to be pain, and finally Sonic leapt up and shot down straight at his back, scoring a direct hit.

Ho-Oh roared and began to fall to the ground, the the substance leaving him in small droves. Sonic, Shadow, and Silver remained up above, looking down at the falling form of the legendary Pokemon.

"So...did we do it?" Silver wondered. "Is it over?"

Shadow closed his eyes, then they shot open just as quickly. "No. He's not finished yet. Stay on guard!"

Sonic watched as a bright but corrupt light rose from where Ho-Oh fell. "I guess it won't be that easy," he shrugged.

"_Now I'll show you insolent pests my TRUE power!_" Ho-Oh screamed, unleashing another attack. This time around, however, it was hardly hindered, shooting in all directions, scathing the hedgehogs in different places, though not destroying them.

"Maybe we should back off a moment," Sonic suggested sarcastically. "Let him blow off some steam."

"That's genius, Sonic," Shadow rolled his eyes.

"Y'know, maybe when we're done here, we could go get some pizza together. How's that sound?" Silver shrugged, smirking slightly.

"You're buying," Shadow informed him.

"Fair enough."

"Either way, that seems to be a stupid question to ask at a time like this," Shadow grumbled. "What are we even doing, anyway?"

"Well, I was trying to come up with a plan," Sonic shrugged.

"You're terrible at that. I'll oblige...or I would, if I knew what to do."

"We need to find a way to disband him from Lugia," he mused.

"I'm certain that Chaos energy is the key," Silver interjected. Shadow nodded.

"But how can we infuse him with it?" Sonic wondered. "Do we do it on our own terms?"

"It's possible," Shadow nodded, "but if just one of us does it, it could prove fatal."

"Then suppose we all did it at once," Silver suggested. "That might do it."

"Plausible," Sonic scratched his head. "Chaos Control's probably our best bet."

"Not sure how that would work," Silver mused.

"It'd work like...like a...er...well…"

"Your wit is duller than a blunt knife."

"_Before you die, you will SUFFER_" Ho-Oh snarled.

"No, Mephiles!" Shadow cried, charging a powerful blast. "You've had your time. Now you must fall...and never rise again!"

"_I AM ETERNAL!_" Ho-Oh screamed, unleashing a Hyper Beam that narrowly missed Silver. "_I will take your world into oblivion, and YOU shall go with it...but not before your suffering becomes more than you can bear!_"

"You wanna go that way, huh? BRING IT!" Silver shouted, once again messing with his head. Shadow unleashed a powerful Chaos Lance that barely punctured the beast's skin, as it knocked off the substance, but now the fiend's form from underneath the substance was visible.

"_You will fall into the abyss...farther than I have fallen...and never again see the light. Now...BURN TO ASHES!_"

Another Hyper Beam...no, six of them! They shot out in all directions. The three hedgehogs barely escaped with their lives.

"We have to stop him!" Silver exclaimed.

"He's out of control!" Shadow agreed.

"Then we'll do it," Sonic nodded.

"TOGETHER!"

With that, Sonic charged at Ho-Oh, fists balled in front of him, and slammed into him head on. The blow was clearly felt, though the fiend remained hardly fazed, and so he was forced to pull back. Shadow channeled all his power into Chaos Lance, firing streak after streak of Chaos energy at Ho-Oh. It was no use, as each blast hardly fazed the beast and only knocked off more of the substance. Silver continued to mess with his mind, but not enough to seriously disorient him.

None of them noticed that the substance that covered his body, now only a fraction of what it was, caused his form to shrink significantly, though his size still loomed over theirs.

"Okay," Sonic growled. "Let's take on Plan Z."

"Is that simply the last plan in the book?" Silver asked.

"Just don't dignify that with a response," Shadow groaned.

With that, they all came together, charging blasts of Chaos energy. Ho-Oh charged an ultimate blast and, when their charge was complete, they all fired. The three separate blasts collided dead-on with the unholy fire at individual points, resulting in a stalemate. Neither side conceded an inch.

"We're not getting anywhere!" Silver growled.

"Then let's up the ante!" Sonic suggested. They channeled more power, but that only got them a slight gain. "Okay, how much can we up it?"

"Only as much as we need to," Shadow told them. "Channel enough power so that our three separate blasts collide to create a giant blast. That just might finish the job once and for all."

They nodded, channelling progressively more energy into their separate blasts in the hopes of creating a massive blast that would put an end to this madness. For a moment, they seemed to be getting nowhere. Worse still, Ho-Oh was also upping his ante, channelling massive energy into his blast.

"We're still not getting anywhere!" Silver shouted.

"Keep trying!" Sonic encouraged, channelling everything he could muster into his blast.

Silver ground his teeth, digging deep into all his power, and channelled it into his blast. _I won't give up now...not after coming so far!_

"Time to unleash the ultimate power!" Shadow cried. His wrist braces fell off his wrists as the energy he poured into his blast increased more than twofold.

The three blasts came together and, just as Shadow had predicted and hoped, they merged to create one massive, awesome blast that even the most powerful Pokemon in the world could not hope to stop. With no hesitation, it slammed into its target, bathing the legendary phoenix in its awesome light. Ho-Oh roared in agony as the Chaos energy burned the dark substance away. It flew out in all directions, blinding anyone in sight.

The three hedgehogs, wearied and practically expended, sunk back to the ground to meet their friends, the substance writhing away from Ho-Oh's form still above them, but it was sinking now, gradually but significantly.

"Ho-Oh," Misty whispered. "Is he…?"

"I don't know," Shadow shook his head. "It's possible...but I wouldn't count on it."

The fiend's form finally exploded and fell into the chasm below, its shrieks of agony dying as it fell. Sonic ventured to look over the edge to see what happened.

Ho-Oh was nowhere in sight.

"We did it," he breathed. "We won."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: See the Light

"Where's Ash?"

This sudden question shook everyone out of their stupor, and they turned to the one who asked it. "Didn't he go up to fight that monster?" May repeated.

"He fell," Shadow explained. "But I saved him. Here: I'll take you to him." With that, he grabbed her hand, and they disappeared.

They found themselves on a snowy ledge, with no sign of any life. "Where is he?"

"Oh no," Shadow whispered. "He's not here? Where is he?"

May turned and saw a craggy ledge that looked like a piece of it broke off. Footprints headed for it, and then disappeared when they reached it.

"No," she breathed. "It can't be...not Ash…"

"We need to go back," Shadow sighed sadly, reaching for her.

"No," she recoiled. "I'm not leaving until I find him."

"May, it's freezing out here," Shadow insisted. "You're not dressed for this kind of weather. You won't survive."

"I appreciate your concern, but I'm sorry. As long as Ash is out there, I'm gonna search for him." Before Shadow could reply, she ran along the ledge and disappeared.

Shadow clenched his fists. "I guess I can't stop her." With that, he disappeared back to his companions.

* * *

"Ahh!" May slipped onto the wall, clinging to it for her life. "This may not have been the best idea!" She managed to slow her fall, which was inevitable, and safely landed on the ground. She looked around and saw that walls surrounded her on either side. But what really caught her attention was a hat buried in the ground. She ran for it and dug at it. It was red and white.

"Ash," she whispered, then began to ferociously dig at the pile of snow beside her. The snow flew all about, but the pile was huge. Just when she thought she was getting nowhere, she felt a piece of cloth in the snow. She tore at the snow and discovered exactly what she feared:

Ash Ketchum lay flat on his face in the snow, unmoving.

"No," she breathed, pulling his limp form out. His face was deathly pale, his lips blue as the sea. "Please, no." She hugged him tightly, hoping to warm him up enough to revive him.

A sputtering sound caught her attention, and she laid him back down a moment to see his eyes flutter open. They were weak, their auburn glow fainter than ever.

"M-May?" he barely whispered.

"Ash," she barely choked out, a tear falling from her eye as she held him once again. He tried to return the embrace, but he was too weak.

"May," he whispered, coughing again, "I think...this is it for me…"

"Don't say that," she hissed. "You're gonna be fine. Come on. I'll get you out of here."

"Maybe...it's better this way…"

"No!" she snapped. "I won't leave you like this!"

"At least...in the end...I got to be...with you…"

"STOP IT!" she screamed, her voice echoing in the wind. She pulled away and looked at his limp form, eyes closed and head hung back. "Get up!" she told him. "Wake up!" There was no response. "ASH, NO! DON'T YOU DARE DO THIS TO ME! WAKE UP NOW!"

No response. Her eyes welled up in tears, and she threw herself on top of him, sobbing in agonizing sorrow. He was gone. Gone! His iron will, his steel resolve...had it frozen over? Her warmth couldn't revive him...what could?

"I won't leave you," she repeated. "I love you. If you must die, then I will die, too."

* * *

Some time later, she was still laying on top of him, as unconscious as he was. She didn't notice that the sky, once darkened by the power of evil and a horrible storm, was now lighting up again as the sun peeked through for the first time in five years. Its light cast a shadow over them as three large, majestic birds soared over them, calling out in harmony.

And accompanying these three birds were three hedgehog riders.

"There!" Sonic exclaimed, pointing down. Shadow and Silver nodded, and their birds flew down to catch the fallen forms of the young couple. Shadow's Moltres snatched up May, while Silver's Zapdos snatched up Ash.

May noticed none of this, as she was still unconscious.

* * *

Her eyes fluttered open to meet a familiar sight: a white ceiling. Her back laid against a soft bed instead of her front laid against Ash's cold, limp form. She slowly sat up, confused.

"Where am I?" she asked out loud.

"Well, you're awake. That's good to know."

She turned and saw the voice's owner, smiling warmly at her. "Shadow!" She leapt up and hugged him tightly. He returned the hug, still smiling.

"I'm glad you're okay," he whispered.

He eyes shot open as a thought crossed her mind, and she pulled away. "Where's Ash?!"

His smile faded, and he pointed her to another bed next to hers. She rushed over to it and saw the trainer's unconscious form laying there, similar to how she found it. She touched his hand. It was cold, though not like ice.

"He hasn't made any movement since he got here," Sonic, who stood by him, shrugged sadly.

May didn't hear him. She leaned over him and gazed at his face: his lifeless, innocent face that still somehow radiated warmth in spite of being caught in the cold for so long. She stroked his hair and slowly ran her hand over his warm, soft face. His lips were now their original color.

Without another thought, she slowly leaned down, her face over his, and connected her lips to his own. They were still cold, but as she continued to kiss him, they warmed up. She placed her hand under his head and pulled him closer.

Then she broke away and looked at his face. Nothing changed. She sighed and laid her sad head on his breast, sniffling as tears fell from her eyes. A hand brushed her back comfortingly as she lay there tearily.

"May?"

Her eyes shot open on hearing the voice. She looked up and saw Ash's eyes were slightly open, a smile beginning to form on his face.

"You're okay?" she whispered.

"I think so," he nodded.

She pulled him up into a deep embrace. "Thank goodness! I was so scared!"

"Yeah, me too," he held her back as much as he could. "Did we win?"

"Come see for yourself," Sonic grinned, pulling him into a wheelchair. Though he wasn't crippled, he was still weak enough that he couldn't move on his own. May pushed him out to see a magnificent sight:

Mt. Silver, once shrouded in a dark storm, was once again the beautiful landmark it was. Silver Town, once abandoned, was beginning to thrive again.

"Then that means…" he muttered.

"I don't know for certain," Shadow shook his head. "He may still be out there, but for the time being, he has been defeated."

A smile crossed Ash's lips. "Well...that's that, then, huh?"

May nodded and kissed him.

* * *

"That was probably one of the most wearying endeavors I've ever put up with," Jessie grumbled.

"I think sticking to our guns is a much better idea," James agreed.

"Next time, we'll stay the bad guys," Meowth shrugged.

They sat and ate their food silently in deep thought. "So, what happens next time we get a job offer like this?" James asked.

"We refuse it," Jessie growled. "That was a nightmare."

"I have a better idea," Meowth sneered, pulling out a rocket. "I'm filing a complaint! It reads something like this:

"'Dear SEGA: SCREW YOU!'" With that, he launched a rocket shaped like a paper airplane into the sky. It swirled around a moment...then slammed right into them, sending them sky-rocketing.

"Why does that always happen?!" Jessie shouted.

"This is what we get for playing the role of fanboys!" James groaned.

"I'm sure the next game will be better than this!" Meowth cried.

"LOOKS LIKE TEAM ROCKET'S BLASTING OFF AGAIN!"

...

* * *

"Sure is beautiful," Silver smiled as he watched the sunset.

"Yes, it is," Dawn agreed. "And now you get to experience it everyday in the future."

Silver looked at her, puzzled. "You mean...you're not coming back?"

She shook her head sadly. "This is where I belong, Silver. Mephiles took me away from here and erased my memories, so I thought I belonged with you. But when I came with you to the past, my memories began to return, and I began to feel an ever-stronger pull to stay on my soul. When that dark substance took me away, Lugia saved me and restored my memories completely." She put her hand on his shoulder. "The future is yours to decide."

A tear fell from his eye. "But...we fought so hard together...to see it done...and now you're just gonna leave it?"

"If the future's where I belonged, I would come with you," she shook her head again. "But this is my home. My friends and family miss me."

Silver sighed and nodded. "Okay...if that's what makes you happy."

"Besides, you're always welcome to come back and visit," she smiled warmly.

He nodded and smiled again. "I'd like that." With that, he pulled her into a tight embrace, which she returned wholeheartedly. "Goodbye, Dawn. Thank you for everything...I'm really gonna miss you."

"I'll miss you, too," she whispered. "You're my best friend, Silver."

"And you're mine, too," he agreed. "We'll always be friends; nothing can keeps us apart...not even time itself."

* * *

Shadow stood atop Mt. Silver, eyeing the expanse with his well-known neutral look. His hand was closed before him as he surveyed the beautiful world surrounding him.

"Maria would've loved this," he mused as he looked around. After a moment, he opened his hand. A small, seemingly insignificant black speck sat there. Shadow looked at it in curiosity.

"Whatcha got there, Shadow?"

Shadow instinctively closed his hand and hid what he was looking at, only to sigh in relief. "I should've known it was you."

Ash chuckled. "What can I say? It's a small world, after all." He wore a blue blazer with white stripes, along with dark gray pants and red and black shoes. His gloves were black with red cuffs, and his red hat sported a white visor.

Shadow saw this and held back a snicker. "You look good. I like that hat."

"Thanks," Ash smiled wistfully, pulling it off his head and turning it over in his hands. "It was my father's."

Shadow raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Yeah. Apparently he left it behind for me to wear when I became a Pokemon trainer. That's what the note said. But I never discovered that note or this hat until I went off to Kalos."

"A note, hm?"

"Yeah, but there's something else. The note also warned me against giving into my inner darkness and to not make the same mistake he did."

"How's that?"

"He gave himself over for service to an evil being. The note gets cut off right before he says what the name of this being is, although I think it actually got torn in two."

"Must've been Mephiles," Shadow muttered.

"That was my initial thought, too, but the way he describes this creep doesn't sound like a wielder of dark aura. It sounds more like a white creep."

"White creep?" Shadow raised an eyebrow, puzzled.

"Yeah, I know," he nodded as he replaced his hat. "Strange, right?"

Shadow nodded in agreement and turned back towards the black speck in his hand. Ash looked over with interest.

"It was part of that dark substance that engulfed Ho-Oh when we fought him," Shadow muttered.

"Black dust?"

"No," Shadow shook his head. "Not merely dust. There's a dormant life force in there."

"A Who?"

"No, a dormant life force," he corrected him. "It's not merely dust." He closed his fist around the tiny speck and looked out. "I already tried awakening it, but it was no good. Apparently it only responds to something specific. Mephiles had this specific thing, but I don't know what it was. Frankly, I'm a little hesitant to try and find out."

"You should talk to a professor," Ash suggested. "They might help you."

"They specialize in Pokemon, not awakening dormant life. Do you know anyone who can help me?"

Ash thought a moment, then shrugged. "All the professors I've met only look into Pokemon, but there's one region I haven't visited that may hold the answers you're looking for."

"Where's that?"

Ash pointed to the West. "It's called the Orre region. I've never gone there, as they have no official league, but you just might find what you're looking for out there."

Shadow nodded. "Thanks for the tip. I'll catch ya later." With that, he disappeared.

"Where'd he go?"

Ash turned and saw May standing next to him. She wore her red outfit. "To the Orre region. He says he's looking for someone who can awaken a dormant life force."

"Ah," May nodded. "That black dust again?"

"Yeah. I wonder what that's all about?"

She held his hand. "Knowing Shadow, he'll figure it out soon enough." She leaned on his shoulder. "Hands down, this is the best anniversary celebration ever."

"Well, there's nothing much to compare it to," he shrugged.

"Oh, but there will be," she winked.

He grinned and kissed her forehead. "Yes. There will be."

* * *

**YES! It's done! I don't care that the ending stunk; it's done!**

**Anyways, you know that scene where Ash and May are laying in the snow and the birds swoop in and save them? I kinda took a number from the film version of "The Return of the King" when Gandalf flies in with the eagles to save the unconscious Frodo and Sam from Mount Doom.**

**Now that this is done, I can FINALLY move on to other projects that I've been eagerly waiting to do. Here's a little breakdown:**

**As I said in a recent fic I wrote, I want my writing to be more dynamic this year. In fact, "Dynamic" is the name of my New Year's Resolution! So my next few projects that I've projected for the future (no pun intended) will NOT be Sonic-Pokemon crossovers. No, I'm not ending that series: it's too good to abandon. But I am taking a break from it so I can branch out into other areas. On the other hand, I am seriously thinking about going back and revising my older Sonic-Pokemon crossovers in commemoration of one year on . What do you think about that?**

**I'll still be writing Advanceshipping fics every now and again. If my Mac isn't fixed by Valentine's Day, I'll gripe all weekend about that, plus all those people on Facebook who talk exclusively about the love of their life. If it is fixed, as it should be, then I'll just gripe about the people on Facebook...plus, you'll see an Advanceshipping fic posted!**

**On top of all this, I'm taking a course in Creative Writing this semester. As I write this, I've only had one class, but I already love it. I hope that while I share my work with the class and my professor, I can also share some of it with you guys. I've already learned quite a bit with the first assigned reading, so that's a promising sign for the future!**

**Okay, enough from me. Thanks for reading, and feel free to R&amp;R! And if any of you honestly wanna blast me for writing a crappy story, I don't blame you. This was not my greatest work. For those of you who like this: I'm glad to hear it!**

**See you next time!**


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